Operation Mi'ihen
by Queen Luana
Summary: As the day of operation gets nigh, Kaie and Asa reflect on their lives as crusaders. They know it will be hard, but it's not the first dangerous task they've been given. Although Asa has the feeling something's not right...
1. Chapter 1

**Queen Luana: **Another Final Fantasy X fic, wow, I'm on fire. It's just that I'm replaying the game and now all these ideas are getting inside my head about new fics and all… But you know what, I have a pretty good feeling about this one. Plus I've also noticed that my writing has improved extremely since I wrote my first fic. At least I think it has… Anyway, this is my first fic in which I narrate from the I-view (I don't know how you say that in English, in Dutch it's Ik-perspectief) with a male hero. Ugh, if my class reads this there'll be more annoying remarks. Well, enjoy and go easy on me when you review. Yes, if I say 'when' I also mean 'when'.

* * *

**Chapter I **

**Kaie**

"Come on, Kaie, you're going to lie there snoozing all day? We've got stuff to do."

With a well meant grump I sat up and rubbed my eyes. It was a very hot day and my face had already been burned by the vile sun. Not a single creamy cloud covered th clear blue sky. Above that we were running out of water and we still had a long way to go. But well, the mission was due for tomorrow, so we'd best hurry.

"Lazy ass," a female voice spoke to me and a foot thumped me in the guts.

"Aw! Knock it off, Asa," I yelped and jumped to my feet. A girl stood there, smiling satisfied. She was a fairly pretty girl. Her wavy dark blond locks were tied together in a ponytail, except for two little pigtails dangling before her face. She had green eyes and a pale skin, not very likely for someone born and raised in Kilika. But she still wore the right clothes. Dark brown top and brown shorts. Her boots completed the outfit perfectly. Her ears were pierced and white feathers hung from them. Her forearms were almost completely covered in colourful bracelets.

So except for her skin, she was a typical Kilika gal. Unlike me.

Although I was born in Bevelle and spent my childhood there, I didn't look like any of the monks living there. All I wore were some baige cargo pants, firm brown boots with lots of buckles and black wristlets. My chestnut brown locks peaked in numerous directions and my eyes matched them perfectly. I had a slight tan, since I had left Bevelle four years ago to join the Crusaders. Ever since then, I've been roaming around Spira, allowing the fierce sunrays to mark my skin.

But back to Asa now. You mustn't be decieved by her childish look. She's very combative and can be rather stubborn as well. When she's got her sights set on something, nothing can keep her from reaching her goal. Still, she was good company. She had a good sense of humour and when we were on the road together, we always had a good laugh.

I'll just get this over with: yes, I do fancy her. I've always fancied her. I met Asa a year ago, when she joined the Crusaders.She was only fifteen back then, three years younger than me. But ever since they put us in the same squad, I was facinated by her. Her way of looking at life, always so optimistic… You just couldn't be down around her, she'd always find a way to cheer you up. Whether it was by one of her great jokes, a weird face or just a kind remark, she always gave you a leg up. That's how I started liking her and ended up loving her.

I don't believe the feeling's likewise. In her eyes, I'm just a fellow Crusader, her companion. Yet I'd wish she was up to a little more than that.

"We have to keep moving, if we stop now and Sin shows up – kaboom!" she said and threw her arms in the air. I chuckled. "And this time, I'm riding Poko!" I sighed and nodded. Maybe I had a stubborn side, but it was smarter to give her what she wanted. She clapped her hands with joy and mounted our Chocobo. Behind her a giant carriage was tied to the Chocobo's sadle. The carriage shook wildly from one side to another and loud roaring emerged from it.

"Be quiet!" she snapped and kicked it. I raised my hand helpfully.

"Sleep," I spoke and soon the roaring stopped and turned into a rough snoring. "That oughta do." I found it odd that a sixteen year old girl could be so comfortable around that _thing_, while it gave me, a grown up man, the jitters. Maybe I was much of a coward… Nah. Then I'd be in Bevelle, praying. I was doing something brave. I was a Crusader. The thought of home stabbed me in the heart and with a sick feeling I mounted the carriage and Asa ordered Poko to walk. Rumbling, we travelled across the Mi'ihen Highroad.

"I don't believe this! I won't believe this!" my father cried, loudly. It gave me chills. At the other side of the room I saw my mother crying. I didn't know what for. It could be so many things at this time… "This is a betrayal to the teachings!"

"_Father, we are only doing this for Spira's sake," I tried to convince him but he hardly listened. _

"_Is this what we've been praying for all those years?" he barked. "For you to become some – some – heathen?"_

"_I am not a heathen father," I objected and tried to explain in my calmest voice. "Sometimes the right way requires an unholy deed. Think about it. If we succeed, no summoners have to die to bring the Calm anymore. Sin will be gone without a death." My head shot sideways and my cheek glowed as if it had just been stung by a bee. My mother shrieked shortly before she continued her sobbing. My father withdrew his hand, his head now red with fury._

"_I will not tolerate such heathen language in my own house," he hissed. "You go on! Get out! But if you step out that door, don't you dare ever coming back. I hope Yevon will punish you, you and all who disobey him." I nodded. He had made himself clear. I casted one final look at my mother, sobbing on the wooden floor of our house, then bowed my head in respect for my father. Yes, respect. It was not since he defended his point of view that I had lost my respect to him. He was my father and an honourable man. Period. Then I turned my back on my parents and walked out the door._

Ever since that day, two months ago, I hadn't spoken to them. I don't know what they're doing right now, whether they ever think of me… Well, I still thought of them. A lot. Maybe it was against the teachings, but it was them I was doing this for. All I wanted to do, was protect my family. Was that so bad? Asa never thought of her family. But how could she? Sin killed them when she was just a toddler. She was raised by her grandma ever since and her grandma… She had only warned her, told her it would be dangerous. She had merely worried about her grandchild's sake. I just wish my parents would.

"All Crusaders gatter round!" Asa chanted while the carriage bumped along the road. "We beat Sin into the ground! Something on your mind, Kaie?" I shook my head wearily.

"No, no not really."

"Your parents?"

"…Hmm."

"You poor thing," she said and her brows squeezed together in a sympathetic frown. "Don't worry. As soon as we beat Sin, they'll be proud to have a son like you. Just wait." Wait indeed. I smiled feebly.

"Thanks Asa." We passed the statue of Lord Mi'ihen.

"Ho, Poko!" Asa cried and Poko came to a halt. Asa leaped off and landed with a tud on the ground. "Let's pray." I jumped of as well and we both kneeled in front of the statue. "Lord Mi'ihen, please protect us and the other Crusaders as we battle to bring the calm." We sat there praying for another minute, then Asa jumped up. "Alrighty! Enough for now! Let's keep on going!"

* * *

**Queen Luana: **That's it for now. Please review! Pretty please? I like reviews… 


	2. Chapter 2

**Queen Luana: **Okidoki. Although I didn't get any reviews, I'm still gonna continue writing. That's right, you won't bring me down that easily!

* * *

**Chapter II**

**Asa**

Poko chirped as I petted the back of his head and I smiled warmly. All day long adrenaline had been rushing through my veins, because the day would soon be there. After months of preparation the day would finally come. Sin would be gone. Yes, we would defeat Sin, I was sure of it. With all these Al Bhed and Crusaders working together, Sin was bound to be defeated.

I glanced over my shoulder and saw Kaie, snoozing, as usual. Puh, lazy ass. I tightened my grip around the reins and inhaled the warm afternoon air. Things like these gave me thrills, but in a good way. I liked my risks in life. That's why I had joined up in the first place. In truth, I had always admired the Crusaders who often passed our village. The boy living next to us, with whom I had shared my childhood, had left two years before me and only weeks after he had disappeared at the horizon I knew my path was set. The problem was convincing my grandmother.

My parents died when I was still young, four or something like that. Sin of course, who else. I don't really remember them clearly, but my grandmother always told me I had my mums looks but my father's fierce personality and eager to explore other places. It's another two reasons why I wanted to join the Crusaders, to travell and to have my revenge on Sin. Granny had never really approved me being a Crusader but at last accepted this was my wish and the feeling for adventure ran through my veins. So she told me that when I was fifteen I could leave. As long as I visited now and then, hah…

Only a couple of days ago I received word that Kilika had been destroyed completely. It broke my heart and apparently Kaies too, the way he looked at me as I sat there crying was just so… I dunno… I had never really cried before, but it was so very hard. I tried to stay cheerful at first, but everytime I tried the faces of all my loved ones appeared in front of my sight and blurred it with tears. But now, I refused to think about it anymore. Cause tomorrow it'd be over for good, the Calm would come.

And that thought brought a smile to my face and with that smile we continued down the Highroad.

Ever since I joined the Crusaders I had fought alongside Kaie and it had been really fun. We always made each other laugh and in the beginning he'd done his very best to look after me and to protect me from powerful fiends. But after a few weeks he found out it wasn't necessairy, that I could stand my own. Back in Kilika I had often wandered off to the woods to look for fiends and sometimes trouble. But back to Kaie. He was a good guy, a great guy. But I'd seen him looking at me and though he tried to hide it, and probably assumed I hadn't noticed, I knew he had the hots for me.

It had been like this ever since we were put in the same squad. At first he had tried to show me and hope he'd get some response in return, but in vain. He was really good company and a terrific friend. But that's it.

Lately he had been trying to supress it more than ever. And I had the slight feeling I knew why. He was afraid to lose me during the operation tomorrow. He was trying not to care.

"Okay, Crusaders, gather up and welcome the newbies," Yudo, one of the captains called to his team. A small twenty crusaders turned their heads, but none got up. "Okay, this is Inu, from Besaid." A nervous looking boy nodded slightly, he couldn't be much older than me. But I just stood their fumbling my pigtails, hardly caring. "Then Fenela from Luca." A girl with dark red hair nodded and then winked at a handsome looking boy sitting a couple of feet a way from her. He nodded back at her and gave her a boyish grin. I heard they got together and still are.

"_And all the way from Kilika Island. Meet Asa." The reaction with me was a regular one. There was a 'hi' here and there and some raised their hand politely. "Okay, you guys socialize a bit while I go sozialising with our lovely Amai," Yudo continued. He smiled at the girl who had been standing at his side and with a giggle they wandered off and hid behind a rock. With a shrug I sat down with some guys._

"_Hey whassup?" They gave me a friendly smile. "So? Introduction anyone?"_

"_I'm Jinsei," one guy, clearly a Kilikian as well, said and we shook hands._

"_I'm Kaie," the one next to him spoke and shook my hand as well._

"_And I'm Tora," said a muscular boy of who I thought he was from besaid, taking from his clothes. I smiled and wrapped my hands around my knees._

"_Cool, so how long have you guys been with the Crusaders?" I asked and rocked back and forth._

"_I've been here for six years now," Jinsei said and leaned back. "Left Kilika when I was fourteen. Been six years since I last saw it." A chill ran down my spine at the thought I'd had to miss my grandma and friends that long._

"_I'm the record holder," Tora spoke and he smiled proudly. "Eighteen years, joined the Crusaders when I was ten. My folks were entirely against it, but I ran off and hid in the cargo of a boat headed for Luca." I nodded then eyed the last one._

"_How about you?" Before Kaie could answer Jinsei had already wrapped and arm around his shoulder. "He's as much a newbie as you, my dear. Joined up last year. Has killed… how many was it, Tora?" Kaie's cheeks pinkened as Tora rubbed his chin._

"_Let's see, was it fourte… no… no it was twelve. Twelve fiends." They both burst into laughter and Kaie's head now resembled a tomato. I giggled slightly. That's the amount of fiends I killed on a sunny day in Kilika. "Ah well, what do you expect, being a monk from Bevelle," Tora said and gave Kaie a friendly pat on the back._

"_I'm not a monk," Kaie objected and pushed away Jinsei's arm. "My parents were." The laughing went dumb and he averted his eyes. I cocked my head to the left. _

"_What's wrong?" I asked sweetly. Jinsei slid closer to me._

"_His parents didn't approve," he muttered into my ear. "They kinda banned him from their family. So, now he's kinda obliged to stay with the Crusaders, else he's got nowhere to go." I could feel my stomach flipping over. Poor guy. At least I still had a family and a home to _miss_. Right before Jinsei sat back down in his original spot, I saw one shiny tear running down Kaie's cheek._

_Right then Yudo returned. "Alright. I hope you guys chatted up, we're headed for Djose Temple."_

I peeked at Kaie again, he had awoken now and caught my eye. I smiled and he returned it.

* * *

**Queen Luana: **There. Another chap, yessiree I'm back in business. Review, please? Pretty please? 


End file.
